On an individual level, to the Conservative mind, racism is merely a play of strength or verbal abuse that both parties employ as equals; for them, each person, when released from the shackles of regulation, are created equal, with only natural or physical limitations a deciding factor. So often we hear the complaints of so called reverse racism where a member of a minority group is seemingly free to make disparaging remarks that would normally evoke condemnation if someone from the majority group said them; for the Conservative, it grates that two individuals are seemingly treated so differently, as it goes against their idea of what being equal is.
It is no surprise that in the pursuit of individualism, of the reduction in government or social oversight, the Conservative will demand the individual deal with racism while rejecting the notion that racism is a social issue that can only be solved through social policy that all individuals must concede to. It is up to the individual who is the victim to stand up and retaliate, without any consideration of the wider implications. With so much focus on the individual, it ignores the realisation that the most damaging aspect of racism, the one that ensures it propagates without impediment, is that it is society itself, the weight of the majority, that ensures that, even at the individual level, people are not equal. It ignores that what is considered a race is determined by society, that there is no definitive line where one race ends or another starts. That labels around race are created and enforced by the majority and these labels influence how people are treated, their perceived abilities or personality.
Add to that the history that is taught in schools that focuses on the majority group's accomplishments, the legal system set up by them, the languages used; all create an environment that is to sole benefit of the majority, and any member within it gain from that whether they realise it or not. It is important to state that this is not a matter of portioning blame, but a reality everyone must deal with. At no point can any one of us divorce ourselves of the influence of society. A white man, in a predominantly white society, may face an instance of derogatory comments by a member of a minority group based on physical characteristics one associates with race, but they will have the backing of the majority in any reply, that any impact outside of that exchange will disproportionately be in favour of that white male simply because he is a member of the majority. A black man, in a majority white society, will have labels applied to him that he has no say over, only that he must also overcome them in addition to the normal competition we all face - he must work harder due to the fact that he is constantly weighed down with these labels. A member of the majority will have all of societies institutions built around that history, law, and language; they need not spend any additional time trying to work it out, or adapt to new ways, or feeling comfortable in their processes.
To the Conservative, we are all playing on a level field that is only tilted in the favour of those with ability, and as such racism is merely the expression of hatred at an individual level.
If there was any question as to why we are seeing such a strong push for nationalistic authoritarianism, of the protection of so called white culture, the answers lie in knowing that it is an instinctive push back against the idea that a society as a whole, and all individuals within it, hold equal responsibility for racism; both it's emergence and its elimination. If one didn't bother to think about it, it could very well seem that, given the cause of racism lies in the dominance of the majority, the only solution would be that the majority give up their power. Any push for more representation of minority groups, of affirmative action to enhance the standing of a group within society, can then be considered signs of the majority losing or giving up their say, of being silenced in favour of the minority. It is understandable that the majority, or at least those claiming to represent them, would consider this a threat. It will be the Conservative who will highlight the risk, not just to society, but to the individual, who will call to traditional roles that must be protected, and fight back by enforcing narrow interpretations of what it means to be a member of that society.
Diversity, to the Conservative, is a numbers game. When we are asked to determine minority representation by population statistics alone, or base a decision on the 'average Joe', it's forcing the position that democracy is only a tool that the majority may be represented through; the average Joe in a white majority society will be white; for every eight white people seen on television, only two non-white people will be seen. When minority representation is reduced to numbers, differences are amalgamated into a category called 'other', a category that is made to represent a thousand ways a person can be not white. And even then, that non-whiteness may only exist based on what is acceptable to the majority. If any of the voices of the 'other' category should be critical of the majority, all minority members are rebuked like dogs who would dare bite the hand that fed them.
The acceptance of minorities comes with the provision that they seek to be the same as everyone else; the only way equality can exist at an individual level if we are to judge them on their merits. In a world where individuals are to compete as equals, to suggest one is not aiming to be the same suggests unfair advantage, rule breakers. To accuse the majority of unfair advantage is to suggest sour grapes, special pleading. For the Conservative, meritocracy is not just an ideal to aim for, but it's how the world currently works. People are where they are based on their merits, and any call to address social inequalities through social programs are first shrugged off as signs of their lack of ability to compete at an individual level. A successful individual is someone who was just able to compete better, with no consideration for the inherent advantages they were born with.
We see this in the rejection of anti-bullying initiatives; it's just how kids are and a part of growing up, just a sign that people can't take it - again, traditional individual experiences put up as the standard we should live by. It is seen the push to repeal long standing anti-discrimination laws by decrying the loss of the individual's right of speech to protect the 'personal feelings' of another individual. Or seen in the push to entrench religious protections to discriminate because there is nothing so personal as one's relationship with their God, something that goes beyond even their relationship with society - an individual relationship that will be questioned and limited in its expression by not having those protections. We see it in the way people buy into success stories of the rich and famous, believing that if they only follow the same steps they too can be successful.
It goes without saying that the causes of racism, the advent of modern nationalism, are far broader than merely Conservative individualism. But in order to address this ongoing struggle for a truly representative society where people are celebrated in their diversity and the strength those differences provide, all aspects of racism must be brought to light. The Conservative, with its call to traditions, to individualism, supports the continuation of racism by denying the actual causes, and by not allowing those causes to be addressed.
It's a fallacy to suggest that the majority will be denied a voice; it speaks so loudly in everything that makes up a society. This voice will never be silenced, nor should it ever be; for in that way lies dictatorship. The needs of the many shall always be greater than the needs of the few. But as an individual, a member of the majority can relinquish one or two instances of expression in favour of having a member of a minority represented, knowing that overall, they will still have greater say and already be represented by society as a whole.
